Marriage dates and maiden names - Driver and James

[seahall]

Hi Sally.

I also think it is the Marriage you seek.

The Census of 1841 rounded ages hence 2 girls the same age.

Therefore ages could be 15-19 -15, 20-24 -20, 25-29 -25,
30-34 -30, 35-39 -35 etc.
They would be upto 10 years difference for older folk.

Sometimes men and woman did not dis-close that they were previously
married therefore a certificate would say Bachelor instead of Widower,
Spinster instead of Widow.

So due to the ages of Edward and Easter it is possible that one
or the other was previously married or Easter had illegitimate children
that took the name of James.

Needs looking into a bit more I think.

Sandy

[seahall]

Hi again Sally.

I have found Easter's baptism on the Northants Baptism Indexes.

The name Easter was also known as Esther hence

Ecton C of E
10 Apr 1796
Esther ROBINSON d of William & Mary, labourer

Sandy

[seahall]

Also on the Northants Marriage Indexes.

Ecton
14 Sep 1850
George CAMPION otp, widower, full age, shoemaker, father William, labourer to
Sarah JAMES otp, spinster, full age, father Edward, shoemaker

On the 1851 Census Sarah is noted as aged 29 making a possible birth 1822.

Sandy   

[salhyde]

Hi again Sally.

I have found Easter's baptism on the Northants Baptism Indexes.

The name Easter was also known as Esther hence

Ecton C of E
10 Apr 1796
Esther ROBINSON d of William & Mary, labourer

Sandy

This is great, Esther Robinson daughter of William and Mary Robinson, and that age is the age I have for Esther 1796, so it's all slotting into place OK. I need to absorb your next post a little.

[salhyde]

OK so, I think I understand this. If Esther Robinson married Edward James in 1835, as we think, she would be 39 years old. If she was still a Robinson when married that suggests she wasn't previously married? so if the 2 girls are hers they we illegitimate and took Edwards name. Or, Edward is a widow in 1835 and the 2 girls are his from his previous marriage? But it's fairly definite it's them though isn't it?

I wonder how unusual it was in those days to not marry until you are almost 40? Perhaps she was sick or something. I know her daughter Rachel had an illegitimate child and that Esther lived to be fairly old (80s from memory).

This last post is the older sister of Rachel and it fits cos of that rounding of age they did (that answers many a puzzle re ages :-)

So if Edward was a widow there should be another marriage record for him?

Awesome thank you for doing all this for me, I have been puzzling over this for months now :-)

[seahall]

Well Sally I saw a problem and went to look at the original marriages
for Ecton and Great Billing.

As all the C of E are noted on the Northants Marriage Indexes
I decided to check out this one.

Great Billing C of E By Banns

Pg 14. No. 41
14 October 1828
Edward James, of Ecton, Widower, and Sarah Mayes, otp, Spinster
Both signed their names.
Witnesses: John James and Esther Robinson They both signed their names also.

So there was a previous marriage of which the Sarah and Mary on the 1841
Census were noted as Edward and Esther's children.

Sandy
 

[seahall]

So then I looked at the 3rd marriage of Edward at

St Giles C of E BY Banns

Pg.13, No.37
19 Feb 1835
Edward James, of Ecton in the County, & Esther Robinson, otp

Both signed their names (Esther as Easter).
Witnesses: Robert ? & Mary Ann Robinson

Sandy

[seahall]

As it seems as though Sarah (Edward's 2nd wife) died in 1834 this
is more than likely her burial date 30 Jun 1834 aged 39 at Ecton.

To follow on from that here are Edward and Esther's burial info.

Pg. 85, No. 680
Edward James, Ecton, November 7th 1869 aged 81.

Pg. 93, No. 744
Esther James, Ecton, February 3rd 1876 aged 79.

Sandy

[seahall]

Further info I looked at Sally was the baptism of Rachel's son.

Ecton C of E

Pg. 89, No. 706
Novr 29th 1857
Andrew Frederic Benjamin to Rachel James, Ecton

And her marriage.

Ecton  C of E.

June 27th 1865
Pg. 66, No. 131
William Hyde, 23, Bachelor, Shoemaker, Ecton, father James, Labourer to
Rachel James, of full age, Spinster, Ecton, father Edward, Shoemaker
Both signed their names.
Witnesses: Edward James (X) and Sarah Campion (Rachel's sister).

Sandy

Sandy